Personal finance

In an already tumultuous year for college hopefuls, news that financial aid award letters will likely be late is the latest blow. The delay puts high school seniors under pressure to decide on a college with little or no time to weigh the most important factor: cost. The U.S. Department of Education said rolling out the

Photoattractive | E+ | Getty Images Building wealth may feel like a struggle for today’s younger generations who grapple with student loan balances and high home prices. Now, a new bill introduced in Congress aims to make it so wealth creation starts from birth. The proposal — called the 401Kids Savings Act — is led

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to United Auto Workers members at the UAW’s Community Action Program legislative conference in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 24, 2024. Leah Millis | Reuters The Biden administration announced on Wednesday that it will try to deliver student loan forgiveness to borrowers experiencing financial hardship. After the Supreme Court struck down

The U.S. Department of Education says it recently updated a key part of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid formula, but, as a result, colleges won’t receive FAFSA applicant information until early March, instead of late January as initially estimated. “Our ‘North Star’ here is trying to make sure that students get the help they need for college,”

Hiraman | E+ | Getty Images It wasn’t so long ago that workers had the power to “quiet quit” or join the great resignation. That is no longer quite so easy. Some laid-off employees report they are having a hard time in their job search or making it through hiring processes. In fact, 55% of

Travelcouples | Moment | Getty Images Jan. 30 is National Plan for Vacation Day — and travelers mapping out their next excursion have a few reliable money-saving hacks at their disposal. Total travel costs — including airfare, hotels, rental cars, dining out and entertainment — are down an average 2% in the past year, according

Maskot | Maskot | Getty Images People living longer and in poor health has become a costly trend. An estimated 7 out of 10 people will require long-term care in their lifetime. The median cost for a private room in a nursing home is more than $100,000 a year — and it’s $60,000 or more

Tax filing season officially starts today, Monday, Jan. 29 — marking the first day that you (or your tax preparer) can submit your 2023 federal tax return for the IRS to accept and process.  To avoid being surprised by new IRS guidelines or how changes in your financial life will impact your taxes, here are

Maskot | Digitalvision | Getty Images Workers are sour on the job market — but that pessimism may be somewhat misplaced. The Glassdoor Employee Confidence Index in January fell to its lowest level since 2016, when the career site began tracking the metric, it said Monday. The index measures how workers feel about their employer’s

Medium shot of smiling woman trying on sunglasses while shopping in boutique during vacation Thomas Barwick | Digitalvision | Getty Images Currently trending on TikTok: digital cameras, Jellycat plush toys and lip oils. But the bigger trend? Not buying any of it. “Loud budgeting,” which emphasizes being vocal about wanting to save money, is a

Fotostorm | E+ | Getty Images Millions of American workers are paying for early access to their paychecks. In some cases, it can come with a steep price. So-called “earned wage access” programs, which operate either directly to the consumer or through employers, let workers tap a portion of their wages before payday, often for

By many measures, Generation Z is doing well. Compared with their parents at this age, young adults are more likely to have a college degree and work full time — particularly women, who are not only achieving increasing levels of education but also earning more.    However, Gen Z adults are also less likely to own a